Everything went wrong for the Houston Texans in 2013. After making the playoffs the previous two seasons, the Texans finished 2-14. Head coach Gary Kubiak was fired mid-season, and veteran quarterback Matt Schaub was benched. The result? The Texans will select No. 1 overall in May’s draft for the third time since they joined the NFL in 2002. All eyes are on a quarterback.

Here are the Texans’ top areas of need as they prepare for the draft:

1. Quarterback

It all rests on this: Will new coach Bill O’Brien be sufficiently impressed by Case Keenum? It seems likely the answer to that will be no. O’Brien is fresh off working with Christian Hackenberg at Penn State and Tom Brady in New England. Those are guys who operate almost entirely from the pocket, standing in and picking apart defenses at the precise second the receiver comes loose. Keenum showed a penchant for doing the opposite. He frequently anticipated the pocket closing and scrambled early, often with the opposite of the desired effect, as he led the league with an average of 10.58 yards lost per sack. If O’Brien is sold on any of the top QB prospects – and that’s not a sure bet, as this crop is mediocre at best – then the Texans will grab that player with the No. 1 overall pick.

Possible picks (By Brent Sobleski)

Blake Bortles (Central Florida): As the owner of the No. 1 overall pick, the Houston Texans are in the driver’s seat. They have their choice of whatever quarterback they desire (or South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney). There are enough ties to Bortles to lead one to believe he is the desired target of the Texans’ new coaching staff.

2. Defensive end

The Texans are enamored with the potential of Jadeveon Clowney, the most athletic player in the draft. The knock on Clowney has been his questionable effort, and he’ll have a lot to prove when he sits down with NFL personnel people for predraft interviews. Texans owner Bob McNair calls Clowney “a remarkable player” and the type who comes along once every 10 years. He has already come up with a plan to help Clowney improve his work ethic by putting the other defensive end – the intimidating J.J. Watt – in charge of the process.

Possible picks

Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina): Due to his immense talent and the fact that none of the quarterbacks are considered elite prospects, Clowney remains in the conversation. Indecision towards the quarterbacks may lead the Texans to select the draft’s top talent.

DaQuan Jones (Penn State): Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien was Jones’ college coach before he accepted his position with Houston. Jones, a potential second round pick, knows the system and can play both defensive end and nose tackle.

3. Outside linebacker

The Houston Texans need more production from Brooks Reed and their outside linebackers. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

Brooks Reed has not been dynamic as the strong-side outside linebacker in the Texans’ hard-charging 3-4 scheme. He rarely gets to the QB and had only three sacks in 2013. Adding a player such as UCLA’s Anthony Barr could change the defense. Barr’s still figuring out how to play defense and will benefit from pro coaching, but he’s another game changer who could be worth a look. The Texans will definitely look for an upgrade.

Possible picks

Kyle Van Noy (BYU): Over the past two seasons, Van Noy accumulated 17 sacks. He played in a 3-4 scheme at BYU and routinely showed his versatility by dropping into coverage. Van Noy is an intriguing option at the top of the second round.

Devon Kennard (USC): Kennard bounced back from a chest injury in 2012 to lead USC with nine sacks as a senior. Kennard, a potential late-round pick, started at both linebacker and defensive end.

Jon Halapio (Florida): While other positions will demand attention in the earlier rounds, the Texans will likely search for bigger and more physical offensive linemen in the mid-rounds. Halapio is big (6-3, 320) and nasty.

Michael Schofield (Michigan): A collegiate right tackle, Schofield can provide depth at offensive tackle and guard. He transitioned to guard at the Senior Bowl and improved as the week progressed. Schofield can provide depth as a late-round pick.

5. Running back

Arian Foster is coming off back surgery and turns 28 before the up-coming season. Also, his offseason has been marred by a lawsuit alleging he pressured a woman to have an abortion. His backup, Ben Tate, is a free agent. The Texans will look to add help in case Foster isn’t effective when he returns. They’ll also look to spread carries, as Foster has been hit with a string of injuries after carrying a heavy load early in his career.

Possible picks

Marion Grice (Arizona State): Grice isn’t expected to be a feature back, but he’s a valuable receiver out of the backfield. Grice can come in as mid-round pick and see some playing time as a third-down back.

Storm Johnson (Central Florida): UCF head coach George O’Leary was O’Brien’s mentor at Georgia Tech. Johnson was a workhorse for O’Leary this past season, but he’s considered a late-round talent. Johnson posted 117 rushing yards against O’Brien’s Nittany Lions last season.